Package



May 16, 193`3l T. w. sATTERTHwAlTE 1,909,127

PACKAGE l Filed OCT.. 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l PTI' .1. /2

q; H, /0 i3 1N VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

May 16, 1933. T, w. sATTl-:RTHWAITE 1,909,127

PACKAGE Y' Filed Oct, 24, 1950 2 VSheets--Slxeet 2 IN VEN TOR.

WH0/WAS W 5A rm@ mwa/TE,

-A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'rnolms w. sar'iaarrrwnrnor NEW Yoax, N. Y., AssrcNoa 'ro ,HaifmxroNv FISH BENJAMIN AND JAMES D. `PELIBOTH 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., AND RICHARD' ELY, 0F

SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY PACKAGE Application led October 24, 1930. Serial No. 490,841.

This invention relates to improvements in lmerchandise containers, and more particularly, to improvements 1n,conta1ners fo r f distribution of coffee, sugar, tobacco and simllar commodities, to consumers It lis a general object of th1s invention to `provide a package which may be readilysealed so as to protect thecontents .thereof Afrom atmosphericconditions and deterioration.'r

.Another object of the invention is to provide a package 'which is substantlally alrtight so that the contents thereof may be vacuumsealed and maintained in such conditionk indefinitely'. v

Still another object of the invention is to 'provide'ay novel closure for a package of this type.

Stillanother object is tofprovide amerchandisin package whereby the merchandise may e packed in animproved manner bothk from an' economic and selling `standpoint.

Other objects lfolding resulting ina construction which may be readily glued and sealed to vform an air-tight package.

Another'feature ofthe invention residesA in a novel means of kclosingthe package,

.which comprises folding the upwardly .eX-

tending sides-in a plurality of accordian 'folds or pleats, providing clamping means for tightly compressing the lines of fold and also using a filler strip which may be Withdrawn, thereby releasing-thepressure on the folds and permitting the' clamping means to 'be' readily, removed.V f y f lThe inventionfaccordingly comprises a -article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, `and thev relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the of the invention will be inY part'pointed Aout in the following detalled application of which will be indicated in the claims. f

For a more complete understanding of tne nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings 'f wherein:

Fig. l is a blank of material from` which the merchandising container is to beformed; Fig. 2 illustrates the container duringfone stage of the folding process;

Fig. 3 illustrates the container during another stage of the folding process; f

Fig. et is a nished container; l Fig. 5.is an exploded view in perspective showing'means for 4sealingthe container;

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views showing the relation of two types of filler strips with reference to the sealing clamp and the sealing folds; and

strip. Y n

In the drawings, whereink the same numerals refer to corresponding parts, a blank l0 .is shown of material from which the package `is to be folded. This blank'may ybe made of any suitable material, such, for example, as

vbeen indicated by the letter a, the width by theletter b, and the depth bythe letter c.`

The blanklO will, therefore, be proportioned so as to have a base portion l1 having the dimensions a and b with suflicient material extending from the edges of this base portion lto provide walls of the package havin the height c. Thus, the length of the blan 10, which is the dimension runningl parallel to dimension a, will have a lengthcorresponding t0 a plus twice the length 0.- `The width of the blank will be equal to b plus vtwice the length c. Thus, in the finished product, the bottomof the package will bejthe portion 11 `bound by the ydotted lines 16a, 17 a, 18?) and 196. l The sides of the packagev 16 and 17` are bound respectively bydotted lines 16a,16c,

Fig. 8 shows one embodimentlof a filler 13 and 17a, 170 and 15, and the ends of the package 18 and 19 are bound respectively by the dotted lines 18o, 180 and 190. Extending laterally from the longer edges of the blank between the dotted lines 160 and 170 are respectively flaps 12 and 14, which are adapted to be folded-along the dott-ed lines 13 and 15, for a purpose which will be hereafter described. From each corner of the base portion 11 to the corresponding nearest corner of the blank are dotted lines Q0. The corner portions of the blank bounded by the dotted lines 160 and 180, 170 and 180, 170 and 190, 160 and 190 will be referred to as common extensions of the side and end sections.

Itis .to be understood that the liblank need not necessarily be marked out in this way, the dotted lines merely indicating lines of fold iniorder that the way in which the package is constructed inay more readily be ldescribed.

In constructing fthe package, the blank is first folded along lt'he lines 18c-1f6a-19c and i1`-8c-.17a-19c, as `indicated in Fig. 2, thus bringing the sides 16 and 17 in their `proper relative positions. YT-he ends -cf the package are then for-med by folding aiong the lines 18?) and 19o untill the ends 18 and 19 come in position with the lines `of fold 166 ycoinciding with 1280, and 170 'coinciding with 180 at one end, and 160 coinciding with 190, and -170 coinciding with 190 -at the other end. Du-r- `ing this folding process, the corners of the blank or side and end extensions 21 are 'also folded along the Adiagonal 20, this corner portion extending eXteriorly of the container as `shown in Fig. 3. vThese corner portions 21 fare folded Aback along the corner edges c of thecontainer `until xthey come in contact with the side portions thereof. The corner `portionsat Aone end of the container will, 'under IA'the circumstances shown, fold over the corner porti-ons adjacent the lother end, as shown in Fig. 4, and in accordance with lthis inven 'tion ethese portions may be held in position by suitable means, as, for instance, a seal 2Q which be glued or otherwise held in position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention Vhas been shown wherein the proportions are Such that the `corner portions 21 will overlap Yeach other, although the invention is not "to limited in this regard, as any proportions could be used and if overlapping should not occur, the corner portions lcould be glued directly to the side walls of the container, v either by gluing along lthe lines of fold 20 or by a plurality of seals. In vthe preferred embodiment of the 'invention shown, the corner portions may 'also be glued along the `lines of :foldQO to jhold Vthern in position.

'The extension flaps 12 and 14 which are a Icontinuation of the sides 16 and 17 are folded back along the 4lines 13 Vand 1 5 over the sides of the container to engage and hold in posi tion the upper edges of the refolded corner portions 21. This is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This flap may be suitably held in position as by gluing, so that all of the folds of the resultant container are substantially air-tight.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a novel means for sealing a container `after filling. The

4sides 30 and 31 of the container are brought together and fluted with a A.plurality of accordion folds, as ,at 32. 1t will be noted that the sides 30 and 31 of the v.bag .are in close contact along the lines of fold 33 and 34, so that if these folds are tightly clamped, a seal will `be present .along each of the lines of fold. As many of Athese accordion folds as desired my be used. Inaorder tonnaintain the seal, it is preferred to use aiclarnp 35 :of suitable material which has Tebe-nt sedges 36 Aand 37 extending longitudinailyof `time accordion folds and adapted 4to .engage under the folds, and Aclamped ras shown `in Figs. t3 and 57 to tightly grip and compress .the folds along the lines of fold 33 :and k3i. This clamp ymay `be vmade of metal, `cellluloid or yzmyiotlier suitable material which will fulfill the desi-red function.. Between the surface'of the clamp 35 .and the upper surface of the topmost fold is a filler strip 38,-ooextensive with the ciamp 35 and having suitable .means 4at the end thereof, as for instance a grip l`39) which ,jnst i protrudes beyond 'the end :of `t-hefclmnp 3'5 to facilitate gnirppingand withdrawing .it from position. When the package is sealed., the fifller strip 38, together 'with the clamp 135,1@-

acts to secure the .accordion folds tightly in Y position. However, when it is desi-red to open a package, the filler istrip may be easily withdrawn by pulling on the grip 39. Then the filler has been withdrawn, the clamp 3 5 may Vbe easily removed vby :sliding it longitudinally .of the folds .and athe ,package opened.

Should it not be .desirable to aise .ailll the contents of the package :at one time the ,accordion 'folds mayvbe refolded `and :the .clamp reapplied. This w-ill oe suioient without insertion of the filler to keep the package closed so as to prevent spilling fof the foontents therefrom. 1

Another type of filler Astrip is shown in Fig. '8. In this instance, `a bifnrcated strip, having arms 40 and `41 and a grip 4Q, is shown which yis adapted to be held position between the rebent portions 36 and 337 .of

ISI)

desirable, especially when the package consists of material such as cellophane.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A merchandise container having extensions adapted to form a closure when leated, sealing means tightly engaging the olds of said pleated extensions, and removable means positloned adjacent said extensions co-act- In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

THOMAS W. SATTERTHWAITE.

ing with said sealing means to release said.

folds when remove 2. A merchandise container having extensions adapted to form a closure'when pleated, sealing means comprising a clamp and a filler strip co-acting toengage intimately the foldsy of said pleated extensions, said filler strip being removable to release the engagement of said clamp with said folds.

y3. A merchandise container having extensions adapted to form a closure when pleated, sealing means comprising a clamp and a filler strip co-acting to engage intimately thefolds of said pleated extensions, said filler strip being removable slidably whereby the degree of intimate engagement between said clamp and saidfolds is reduced.

. extensions and a clamp retaining said filler 4. A merchandise container having extensions adapted to form a closure when pleated, sealing means comprising a filler strip'positioned adjacent the upper fold of said pleated timate engagement along the lines of fold, saidtfiller strip being slidably removable to facilitate removal of said clamp.

6. A merchandise container having extensions adapted to be folded to form-a closure, clamping means for retaining said folded extensions, and a slidablev wedging element 

